MEDIA STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TEAM TO ASSIST PALESTINIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH

South Africa has consistently voiced its deep concern about the worsening humanitarian situation in Palestine as a result of the ongoing violence and closure on Palestinian towns and villages imposed by Israel. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 393 Palestinians have been killed since the outbreak of the violence on 29 September 2000 and some 21,000 injured, stretching the meagre resources of the Ministry of Health to capacity. Of the injured, thousands will suffer permanent disabilities. 

Responding to an urgent need by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the South African Islamic Medical Association has dispatched a team of medical practitioners who will arrive in Palestine on 12 January, to work in Palestinian hospitals, as guests of the Palestinian Ministry of Health. They will work alongside Palestinian doctors, performing surgery and providing medical care to the sick and injured. 


The South African Government has previously made a donation to  the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, for the purchase of emergency medical supplies and gives its full support to this praiseworthy initiative in people-to-people co-operation. 

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS  ON
BEHALF OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE,
RAMALLAH 
12 JANUARY 2001

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